Not Quite a Mistake
by symbion
Summary: Kuchiki Byakuya makes a mistake-at least that's what he thinks. Kuroyuri Reina thinks the same. They try to forget the mistake-to no avail. ByakuyaOC. Same realm as 'Alive'.
1. Chapter 1

**Not Quite a Mistake**

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**By Symbion**

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****Summary:** Kuchiki Byakuya makes a grave mistake-from his point of view. Kuroyuri Reina thinks the same. They tries to forget their mistake. To no avail. ByakuyaOC. Same realm as Alive.

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**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bleach; Tite Kubo does. He's the god of Bleach, hail him…

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**A/N : **This is story I made to explore my OC in Alive. I made her paired with the infamous Kuchiki Byakuya. So please don't kill me.

I know that Byakuya might be OOC, can't help it...

Well, enjoy. By the way, this one is rated M.

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A jigokucho came to her window that morning.

An announcement of a taichou-fukutaichou monthly meeting was issued. Reina couldn't help but feel tensed. She would see him—after two weeks trying to elude him. Shit…

Kira could see that his taichou was troubled. It had been like that for almost two weeks. Since that single mission, Kuroyuri-taichou seemed like she wasn't herself anymore.

Just what happened back there? The blonde often asked himself, not quite brave to ask his taichou. He was worried; Kuroyuri-taichou was seldom brooding and usually, if she was, it always concerned her inner hollow. Having an inner hollow seemed quite a trouble to endure. Ichigo-taichou was another example.

His taichou sighed heavily and slumped on her chair. Her paperwork had been long ago finished. She was a diligent, efficient, and neat worker. She always took most portion of paperwork to her own desk and worked hard for next four hours. By lunch, most often the paperwork had been complete. Kira filled in the leftover, which wasn't too many in the first place. He often finished them in two to three hours and the rest of his time, he used to help Kuroyuri to finish the remainder. Then the lunch time came and he was free to go. He often used the rest of the day's time to train the recruits and spar with Hisagi or Abarai.

He wondered since when he had much spare time. Oh, well, since Kuroyuri-taichou was assigned in his division. Kira was thankful of that. He was glad that he and his division finally had a taichou who knew her responsibility within the division and how to work properly. It wasn't that Amagai-taichou didn't know how to work properly at that time. But the fact that he was another mastermind of devious plan involving wicked swords and others was truly a big turnoff. Really, what was so wrong with the 3rd division and those leaders? Why did they always get bastard-ass-taichous to begin with? Kira didn't understand.

"…Izuru… meeting will be held in an hour. Let's have an early lunch." Kuroyuri's voice brought Kira back from his reverie. The blond haired fukutaichou nodded and glanced at the clock. It was already ten thirty in the morning. It was indeed an early lunch or most likely a very late breakfast. He didn't really care at that time. He hadn't had any breakfast aside from an onigiri and a cup of green tea that morning. He woke late and hurried to the division office only to be greeted by his already-working-through-several-stacks-of-paperwork taichou. Kira wondered if she had a restless night and eventually chose to work overtime instead.

His taichou, however, had resorted to call him by his given name. It was an improvement, really. And unlike Ichimaru, she didn't call his first name with mockery or teasing manner. She just simply called him by his given name because she didn't particularly like formality; just like Ichigo-taichou. But different from him, Kuroyuri-taichou was soft spoken and polite though in casual way.

"Alright, Taichou. Would you like to have lunch in division cafeteria, in nearby restaurant, or buy a take-away meal?"

Kira watched as his taichou shifted uneasily before replied softly, "…Let's take a take-away meal. I don't feel like to eat in public places."

"Okay then. The usual?" The usual take-away menu for Kuroyuri was consisted of rice, unsweetened egg rolls, fried fish, preserved vegetables, and a cup of green tea. She usually requested Kira to get a portion of sliced fresh fruits. Mostly apples, since it was her favorite fruit. Kira was glad that his taichou shared with him a mutual hatred towards dried persimmon or persimmon in general.

"Mmhhmm. But please do change the green tea with iced lemon tea instead. I …don't really feel like to drink green tea right now."

Reina looked away. Green tea reminded her of _him_ and it was almost unbearable for her already tensed nerves. She would probably snap if she got more tensed than that. The prospect of seeing him in the upcoming meeting didn't help at all.

Kira frowned in concern when he saw his taichou looked slightly pale. Did she ill? She was indeed silent for the entire morning—precisely after the jigokucho arrived that morning.

"Taichou? Are you sure you okay? You don't look …too good." _More precisely, you look ill and like as if you will faint anytime_, he thought worriedly. "Perhaps we can send a note to the Soutaichou, telling him that you're not in good condition to attend the meeting and order me instead—"

"No!" Kuroyuri snapped a bit harsher than she intended to be, earning an immediate concerned and worried look from her fukutaichou. She cussed inwardly. The last thing she needed was Kira worrying sick about her. She didn't need that. "No…I—I'm fine, Izuru."

She flashed an apologetic smile and a not-quite stern look at him. The message was clear: the topic was laid off and she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Kira nodded but his inner worry didn't cease. There was, indeed, something wrong with his taichou. He just had to find out what.

Did her inner hollow run amok? Reiki rarely did that. She was a tame hollow, his taichou liked to say that. Quite unusual for hollow, though; since Ichigo-taichou's inner hollow was one hell of a violent and sadistic entity. A powerful one, too, he was. Kira remember the time he accompanied his taichou to train with Ichigo-taichou and Shizu-fukutaichou back then. He could only stare in horror as the albino inner hollow showed himself as a separate entity outside Ichigo's body and began to wreak havoc. It needed a combination of Kuroyuri's masked form, Reiki, and Shizu's hollowfied shikai form to eventually subdue the albino hollow. And then Ichigo-taichou had to force him to enter his mindscape again with so much bloody efforts. What a terror…

"Just… let's get the food." She muttered passionlessly. Reina then rose from her seat and slowly sauntered towards the shoji door.

Kira complied wordlessly as he followed his taichou towards the cafeteria.

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Kira bought his usual meal consisted of rice, sweet egg rolls, fried tofu, preserved vegetables, and oolong tea in a bento and then ordered the usual menu for his taichou. He also bought a pack of agar-agar; this time was melon flavored. Agar-agar was his favorite food after all. He didn't forget to buy slices of fresh fruits for his taichou. Apple and grapes were sufficient. _Oh, don't forget an iced lemon tea_, he recalled.

He brought two boxes of bento and two bottles—he asked the clerk to bottle the beverages for easy handling—to the place his taichou had waited for him; the 3rd division backyard. Though she disliked persimmon as fruit and preserved food, she liked the trees. Back then, Ichimaru Gin had planted enough persimmon trees to green the backyard.

Reina sat in seiza under one of many persimmon trees on the backyard. Her eyes were closed and she breathed calmly. She was meditating. She put Kurogane beside her, leaned against the tree. Feeling Kira's reiatsu approaching, she opened her eyes and smiled when her fukutaichou took a spot before her. He offered the bento to Reina and sat down politely before opening his own bento.

"Hmm? Agar-agar? It's melon." She commented lightly as she took the small pack of agar-agar and examined it; watching in amusement as Kira flushed in embarrassment.

"…Taichou, it is mine." He muttered slowly.

"I know, silly. You are infamous for your craziness on agar-agar." She laughed at his further flustered face and handed the pack over.

The blonde stared at her in disbelief. "Re—really? Do all the division members know about this too?"

Reina chuckled. "Of course, Izuru. Who doesn't?"

"…Oh well, it can't be helped then, na?"

Still flustered, Kira dug into his rice and ate in considerable pace. He glanced at his taichou and was concerned as he saw his taichou only stared at her food, not even once poking it.

"Taichou, is something wrong? Aren't you satisfied with the food? I can buy another one if you don't like that one."

Reina looked at him blankly and then shook her head. "No, Izuru, the food is fine. It's just…"

"Just what, Taichou?" Kira swore he saw the ghost of sadness within the crimson twin of his taichou's eyes. And then he blinked; and next moment, the serene expression was back on her beautiful face.

"…Never mind. Alright, let's eat." She took the bamboo chopsticks, broke it and dug into her bento. "It's delicious, Izuru."

Kira smiled softly at her, though his mind still recalled the fleeting sorrow within his taichou's eyes. He was worried again about his taichou. Was she truly alright? Was she ill? Why did she seem so sad, even for just a moment back then?

"I see you also bought a pack of sliced fruits. Thank you, Izuru." Reina had stopped eating. She didn't feel so well right now and her stomach somehow rejected the food. So she ate only small portion and kept it for later consumption. Maybe, by doing that, she could save some money she usually spent for dinner.

Kira looked at her, not entirely missing the fact that she only ate a little. He decided not to ask about it and smiled instead. "You're welcome, Taichou. They are slices of apple and grapes. I thought you will like them."

"Of course, Izuru." She returned his smile and began to dig into the small bowl of sliced fruits. She offered some to him, but he declined courteously. Eventually she ate them all, much to Kira's delight.

"It was delicious, Izuru."

"I'm glad you like them, Taichou."

"At least, they're not persimmons." With that joke, they shared a mischievous look and then smile, before eventually they laughed together.

They mutually hated persimmon. That was for sure.

"…It's about time for meeting." Reina murmured after some time of good laugh. Her initial tension was suddenly back and she felt devastated. Nevertheless she didn't show it on her serene feature.

"Shall we go to the meeting hall then?"

"…Mmhhmm. Let's go, Izuru."

"Hai, Taichou."

* * *

Reina felt nauseated.

Each flash step she took towards the 1st division compound, she felt her heartbeat accelerated rather rapidly. She would see him again after two weeks away; she would see him again after she avoided him so hard after that—_that time_…

_Don't be ridiculous, Reina!_ She scolded herself. _He wouldn't remember you. He was drunk at that time he wouldn't remember a thing. He shouldn't. He wouldn't remember kissing you, he wouldn't remember pulling you into his warm embrace, and he wouldn't remember laying you onto the ragged tatami and then—and then…_

She felt like groaning in exasperation.

Behind her, Kira was examining his taichou's movement. He felt her reiatsu faltered a bit, just a tiny fragment and then it had been even again. Serene, like usual. But he was worried. He had seen even for a slight moment, Kuroyuri's movement wavered from its usual gracefulness. Like she was momentarily numbed by sudden shock or revelation.

They reached the 1st division compound without much ado and walked steadily towards the meeting hall, Reina ahead and Kira trailing behind her. They met Ukitake Jyuushiro and Kuchiki Rukia midway; and both taichous and fukutaichous shared greetings.

Yes, Ukitake had succeeded in pursuing Kuchiki Byakuya for accepting his request. He requested that Rukia would take a position Shiba Kaien was previously assigned for: the position of 13th division's fukutaichou. Byakuya, though a bit reluctant, eventually granted his request and let Rukia took the position, much to the girl's dismay. He didn't explain his reasons to her, though.

"Kuroyuri-san, Kira-kun, good day, isn't it?" Ukitake greeted with his usual cheerfulness. He was slightly pale after a bout three days ago. Both Sentaro and Kiyone found him unconscious in the office, lying prone on the desk. Paperwork he had been working at was covered in blood; his blood. Both 3rd seats and Rukia, in their shock and panic, had immediately rushed him to the 4th division infirmary. Unohana examined him and after some treatments, she eventually released him back to his division.

Reina smiled warmly. She liked Ukitake—who didn't?—and replied, "Yes, it is, Ukitake-san. Good day to you too, Kuchiki-kun."

Her smile faltered slightly as she remembered _whose _sibling Kuchiki Rukia was.

Rukia smiled widely and bowed at her, seemingly not noticing her slightly faltered smile.

They continued their way towards the meeting hall.

Walking inside, Reina felt her stomach revolting. She felt a sudden nausea assaulted her gut and a slight throb in her head. She expected migraine. _Shit…_

_You're just nervous, Reina. Yes, nervous…_

Inside the hall, she could see that nearly the entire Gotei taichous and fukutaichous had arrived and filled in their respective spots. Unohana and Isane had already stood on their usual spots, as well as Soi Fon and her fatty fukutaichou. Kyouraku, however, tried to sleep while standing on his spot—until Nanao whacked his head using a harisen. Hitsugaya glared at his buxom fukutaichou—typical. Matsumoto was probably teasing him again. Urahara and his fukutaichou weren't there yet; most likely they would be late.

_He isn't here yet…_

Reina was slightly shocked as she mused about him and why he wasn't here yet. _Stop, Reina, you fool! In this rate, you will be surely going crazy just from thinking about him—when he probably doesn't think or even remember you a bit after all that happened between you and him. Not that it is even significant to note. It's just—like people usually says—a one night stand. Nothing more, nothing less. It's really only a fling after all; a drunken fling at that…_

A pang of sadness assaulted her and she suddenly felt another wave of nausea. Gulping hard as she tried to chase her nausea away, she inched closer to her supposedly spot.

She saw Zaraki Kenpachi and his baby fukutaichou as they were busy chattering about something. Or rather, Yachiru was busy babbling about something while her Ken-chan was busy ignoring her and looking at the direction of 4th division officers instead. Reina raised one of her elegant eyebrows. She didn't know that Zaraki even bothered to regard the 4th division; except, probably, Unohana. He despised them in general and considered them weak; a sentiment the other 11th members mutually develop and share.

She then turned her attention at the youngest member of Gotei (at least in term of actual age and not of appearance). Ichigo stood impatiently on his spot, slightly ahead and near the Soutaichou's podium. Behind him, Shizu Uriya silently and calmly stood, his brilliant green eyes closed as he meditated.

Rukia immediately rushed to Ichigo and greeted her boyfriend with a slap on his back, before she went back to stand behind Ukitake. Ichigo sent her a glare, but there was no heat within those amber eyes. Reina could see a loving gaze when she witnessed one.

Somehow, she envied them. Ah… young couple…

…Not that she wanted to be involved within a romantic relationship; no. No. It was just… _no_. She had had a fair share of lovers back then when she was still in Onmitsukidou, but now she thought nothing of love. Nothing…

Even with him…

…Darn…

…Especially _not_ with him. Period.

She saw Komamura chatted with Ashido in whisper. They seemed so engrossed with their conversation Reina wondered just what they had been talking about. Not to mention, both taichous were infamous for being serious and taciturn persons. Behind them, both Iba and Hisagi looked like they were bored as hell: Iba was absently playing with his tanto-like zanpakuto as he looked around, bored; while Hisagi was daydreaming. He was jerked back to reality by Kira, who waved at him as they approached the group. Reina nodded at Komamura and Ashido as she walked past them. They nodded back before went back to their hushed conversation. She then went to take her spot beside Ichigo.

"Yo, Kuroyuri-san." Ichigo grinned at her in friendly manner and shifted to allow her past him. She smiled in gratitude and took her spot.

She then turned to look at the orange haired taichou and chided lightly, "It's Reina-san, Ichigo."

He grinned again, more widely this time. "Alright then, Reina-san."

"That's good. You know, I dislike formality if amongst peers and comrades, regardless the age—except for the old man, of course. I know you also agree with me, right?"

"Damn right."

"I abhor rude language, though." She didn't abhor it when she spoke it herself—within her mind only, of course.

Ichigo smirked sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Reina-san. It's becoming habit. You know how Rukia and Renji usually talk—"

"Don't blame others for your own behavior, trash." Uriya scolded his taichou evenly. He had opened his emerald eyes to gaze at both Ichigo and Reina. Reina regarded him with a smile which he returned by a slight nod. Ichigo glared at him, but the ex-Quatro Espada deliberately ignored him.

"Blunt as usual, Shizu-kun." Reina commented, amused. Uriya only shrugged.

Ichigo was going to snap back at his fukutaichou's bluntness, but his attention was distracted as Abarai Renji walked in and grinned widely—knowingly—at him. Ichigo growled and flashed a finger at him; something some people frowning upon, Reina included. The redhead only snickered and went to take his position.

And suddenly Reina was very aware of _something_. If Abarai Renji was already here, then…

A waft of familiar reiatsu, cold and reserved, assaulted her heightened and alerted sense. She tensed and glanced nervously at the source of this specific reiatsu. She saw Kuchiki Byakuya strutted almost tonelessly inside the hall, scarf swishing with every step he took. His long and silky black hair was kept up in his usual style by using his intricate headpiece of kenseikan. His slate grey eyes were closed as he walked without even seeing his way, led by his sharp sense. He only opened his eyes to greet Ukitake, Kyouraku, and Unohana before closing them again as he took his spot beside Unohana. Just slightly across her, as he usually was.

He didn't even glance at her…

Reina felt a strong jolt of nausea combined with pain inside her gut. She held the urge to groan. Inhaling rather sharply, she tried her hard to calm her nerves. It was futile. The nausea and pain was still there.

After talking to Hisagi about their plan to go training together, Kira scurried to fill in his spot behind his taichou. He heard the conversation amongst her, Ichigo, and Uriya; and had to stifle his chuckle. His taichou and Ichigo-taichou were quite similar in the way they disliked formal mannerism. The difference was that Kuroyuri abhorred rude and inappropriate language and behavior. She was casually informal, but still retained her politeness. Somehow, she was similar like Ukitake-taichou or maybe Kyouraku-taichou in that way.

A sound of sharp inhale was heard and Kira glanced at his taichou. He felt rather than saw that his taichou was somehow troubled again. What happened? Her reiatsu was fluctuating…

"…Kira." A quiet, even voice came from his side. Kira turned his eyes to regard the person beside him.

"Shizu-san. What's the matter?"

Uriya stole a glance at the direction of his taichou and Kira swore he saw a ghost of worry and concern within those usually impassive emerald eyes.

"...Watch over her." The older fukutaichou warned quietly, almost inaudibly that Kira had to inch closer to hear it. "…She's not in her best condition."

Kira stared at him and then nodded silently. He turned his eyes back at his taichou. God, he was worried _sick_. However, he didn't have time to mull over his worry for his taichou as Yamamoto-soutaichou strode inside the hall, being accompanied by his fukutaichou.

At the same time, the last pair of taichou-fukutaichou arrived on the spot. Clack of wooden clogs or geta brought a distinct explanation of who he was: Urahara Kisuke. He smiled widely, almost without care for the world—or for the glares from several pairs of eyes—as he swaggered inside the hall. Kurotsuchi Nemu trailed behind him, silent and reserved as usual.

With all the taichous and fukutaichous in presence, Yamamoto hammered the tip of his staff onto the floor until every bit of attention was on his person. And then he barked loudly.

"Meeting, begin!"

* * *

Reina felt like retching.

Oh god, the nausea/pain was almost unbearable. _What's happening with my gut?_ She almost hunched over in pain. Was it because of her food?

Another wave of nausea and pain… oh god… she almost groaned out loud in agony. Oh god, the pain. Oh god, the nausea. Oh god, oh god, ohgod, ohgodohgodohgodohgod—

"Kuroyuri-taichou, are you listening?" Yamamoto-soutaichou's stern voice brought her back from the world of agony she had to endure right now.

Reina was startled. At least she had dignity to mask her turmoil with the serene expression she usually donned.

She looked at the old general, flashed an apologetic smile and inquired quietly and politely, "My humbly sorry, Soutaichou-dono. What did you spoke before?"

Yamamoto regarded her with a single-opened eye for some time, his gaze unreadable. And then with slightly softer tone, he repeated his question, "I order you and some selected members of your division to scout the area of District 55 to 60 of Rukongai, due to the mysterious appearance of something resembles hollow. Most likely, they are hollows of Adjuchas-class menos. Do I have your readiness, child?"

Reina forced a smile and replied firmly—at least she hoped so.

"Yes, sir, I will, sir."

"…Good."

Yamamoto once again regarded her with an odd look before resumed his speech and barked another order, this time to Hitsugaya. Somehow, _something_ within the old man's eyes from before disturbed her greatly. Reina shrugged it off.

Another nausea hit her full force, accompanied by sheer pain inside her skull and stomach, and she suddenly felt as if she was falling into a very dark pit; the abyss. She blacked out for a while, though she was certain to keep her stance not to falter or sway. She felt weak and boneless…

Sheer pain ripped through her spine, from her skull down to her stomach, coiling and tightening inside. Reiatsu drastically weakening, she knew all too well—no, she was _damn_ certain—that she wouldn't last long—not until the meeting ended. The pain, the nausea, the agony…oh god, it was unbearable.

Unable to contain it anymore, Reina let out a strangled, pained cry. Her head throbbed painfully and her stomach rebelled violently. She felt retching… _no! God, the pain, agh!_

Trying her hard not to retch in place, Reina shut her eyes tightly; unaware of Yamamoto-soutaichou's suddenly halted speech. She was unaware of entire attention the others gave her.

She was _completely_ unaware as slate grey eyes looked at her in masked worry and slight panic.

She was unaware of everything surrounding her as a wave of excruciating pain hit her full force, causing her to groan out loud in pain and fall to her knees. She clutched her midsection and sometimes her head, pain ripping through her body like tidal waves.

As the pain subsided, Reina dimly heard Kira's panicked shout, calling for her. She dimly felt Ichigo's presence; as well as the others' presence. She blindly searched for something to hold on—she was scared, she was terrified, and she was absolutely afraid—and eventually found a cloth.

Dimly, she recognized it as a black cloth—someone's kosode. Kira's kosode, she could sense his near presence, calming and soothing her. He held her, gentle and caring. Reina felt her tears running down her cheeks, both in relief and gratitude. She clutched his kosode for dear life, clinging to Kira as she curled her body in a fetal form.

Her fukutaichou, her beloved fukutaichou. Reina loved him like a dear little brother, a friend and reliable partner. She felt sad for his troubled moments when he remembered Ichimaru's betrayal, or when he recalled pointing Wabisuke at Hinamori. She felt happy for him when he told her that he had hit on Momo a year after the girl's recovery, or when he exclaimed in sheer joy that he had succeeded to manifest Wabisuke—which meant that he was nearing to gaining bankai.

"I—Izuru, sorry, I—" Reina managed to stutter in between her state of dizzying nausea and agonizing pain. She groaned out loud as another jolt of sheer pain ripped through her body, centered mostly on her gut. She coiled, tightly clutching her midsection.

_God… please… it… hurts…_

She dimly heard Kira yelled for her not to talk and save her energy. She complied and tried to even her reiatsu—to no avail. She felt so weak, so devastated she didn't even care anymore.

Closing her eyes tiredly, Reina finally gave into the blissful darkness.

* * *

Kira watched worriedly as his taichou practically zoned out and didn't pay attention to the meeting at all. Oh, well, it couldn't be helped that the meeting was often boring; this one was no exception. Aside from a startling report of some hollow sightings at several sites in Rukongai, nothing more could be considered serious.

He heard Yamamoto barked some orders to several taichous, his taichou included. And Kuroyuri didn't seem to be aware as the old man talked to her directly. Kira went to shake his taichou, but a booming voice from the old general eventually brought her back from whatever reverie she had before. The blonde watched in bemusement as Kuroyuri set her poker face of serene and calmness before she replied at Yamamoto.

Kira couldn't help but notice concerned glances directed at his taichou from several other people in the meeting hall. Most prominently was Unohana's subtle glance at Kuroyuri. Kira could see the growing worry and concern within those deep blue orbs. Even Ichigo-taichou glanced sideways at her in something resemble deep concern.

"…Kira, be alert." Shizu's monotone yet deeply concerned voice once again reached his ears. Kira blinked and glanced at his fellow fukutaichou. What he saw disturbed him. Shizu was gazing at the back of his taichou with deep sorrow latched inside his ever-so-melancholic green eyes. His frown deepened as he whispered something only Kira could hear, "…Her reiatsu… falls."

True to the words, Kira could feel a sudden plunge of Kuroyuri's reiatsu as well as her strangled pained cry. Yamamoto abruptly stopped his speech and opened both eyes as he turned to completely look at her, somehow alarmed and deeply concerned. Other taichous and fukutaichou sharply looked at Kuroyuri with alarmed worry.

The aforementioned woman eventually fell to her knees, groaning in pain as she clutched her midsection and sometimes, her head.

"Taichou!" Kira immediately knelt before her, supporting her as the woman tremblingly reached for something to hold onto. She eventually found his kosode and clutched it tightly, clinging to him as if for her dear life.

Kira was horrified as he watched his taichou cry. Kuroyuri never cried.

He watched as his taichou curled her body into fetal position while still clinging to him. He held her gently, afraid of hurting her more than before.

"I—Izuru, sorry, I—" she stuttered weakly and groaned again in sheer pain, clutching her stomach tightly.

"Taichou, please don't talk! Save your energy!" Kira shouted in panic. Kuroyuri complied, leaning heavily against his chest; and eventually she went limp in his arms. Kira realized that his taichou had finally fallen unconscious.

He then looked upward to see Ichigo-taichou had loomed over them, his face tight in worry. Other taichous had also moved to surround them, but eventually Yamamoto took control of the situation once more.

"Everyone! Calm down!" he then looked at Unohana, who had already strode forward in a rush towards Kuroyuri and Kira. "Unohana-taichou, may you…?"

"Of course, Soutaichou." She firmly stated as she knelt down and began to examine Kuroyuri's unconscious form.

Kira held his taichou's limp body in tight yet gentle hug and cradled her in his arms. Now crying, he looked helplessly at Unohana. The woman wore a serious and worried expression on her face while examining Kuroyuri; and eventually she shouted for her fukutaichou.

"Isane!"

The silver haired woman, who had initially stood beside her, quickly responded. "Yes, Taichou."

"Shunpo ahead and tell Harunobu and Hanatarou to prepare the special examination room!"

"Yes, Taichou!" And then Kotetsu Isane set on her shunpo and zapped away towards the 4th division.

Unohana eventually looked back at Kira and spoke gently. "Kira-kun, come with me and take her using shunpo towards my division."

Kira quickly nodded. "Of course, Unohana-taichou."

The crowd parted to make way for them. Both Kira and Unohana didn't notice the slate grey eyes, which widened due to the shell-shocked state.

"Kira…"

The blonde turned to regard Ichigo. The orange haired young man looked at him with determined eyes. "I'll come with you."

Kira could only nod and let the other man follow him.

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So, so, how do you think? Please R&R.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bleach; Tite Kubo does. I only own my OC.

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Despite his stony and impassive mask, Kuchiki Byakuya was inwardly in turmoil.

Since two weeks ago, he couldn't sleep well. He kept repeated the moment over and over again in his head.

He had made a mistake. A _very grave_ mistake a person such as himself shouldn't do.

Yes, at that time, he had been drunk—something he _very_ rarely did in his entire long life, since the noble Kuchiki Byakuya never drank more than he needed to—but of course, it couldn't—_shouldn't_—be an excuse to wander around and tackle person off guard.

And then _lay_ with said person.

Byakuya wanted to scream and groan in frustration. He didn't, though—just what his family would think about him when he suddenly snapped out of the blue?

He chose to have meditation inside his personal garden; the garden he had with Hisana in prior time. Whenever not meditating, he would stare at the sakura and plum-yew tree, though the trees didn't yet seem to bloom before spring came. Or he would indulge himself in his hobby of calligraphy. Or he would work on his sometimes over-excessive paperwork.

But it was only in his day time. In the night time, the grief of his guilt assaulted him relentlessly, sometimes rendering him numb and bewildered.

He still liked to have a night walk every now and then. But since that fateful night, two weeks ago, the frequency of his night walks had significantly decreased. He couldn't bring himself to enjoy his night walk because every time he had it, he would unmistakably relive that moment again and again.

He would relive the moment he kissed her, the moment he embraced her, the moment he caressed her, and eventually the moment he—

Byakuya held a strong urge to groan.

Even now, in the middle of the work, in his office with Renji sitting on his own desk across him, he had fallen into reliving that moment. In his foolish drunkenness, he couldn't remember the details or even her face, but he clearly remembered the _sensation_. Sensation of her lips touched his in searing kisses; sensation of her soft hands stroked his back, chest, and arms, or sometimes, bottom; sensation of her warmth surrounded his stiff manhood while he moved rhythmically inside her—damn… it made him hard. And hot. And confused. And angry.

And wanted her, _again_, more than anything.

…_Damn!_

He cussed inwardly—then cringed.

Kuchiki Byakuya never cussed. It was an inappropriate thing to do by a noble such as himself. Only people like Renji or Kurosaki would resort in cussing out loud. Or Zaraki.

Byakuya inwardly frowned as he thought about the barbarian taichou. He then recalled the time they fought together—no, it was a rivalry match, he stubbornly stated—against that despicable oaf of Cero Espada. Yammy Riyalgo, wasn't it? Byakuya sniffed in disdain. Thing like that shouldn't have a name so he wouldn't have to store its name within his extensive memory.

Back to Zaraki, Byakuya could still remember the expression of pure joy whenever he fought against strong opponent like Yammy and his maniacal grin whenever he felt satisfied or won the battle. Zaraki was so much full of emotion—though it was only joyful bloodlust or simple indulgence in sake—it sometimes sickened him. Wait, correction, it often sickened him.

He also thought about his fukutaichou and Kurosaki. Both of them were similar like Zaraki in one and many ways. Both of them were loud, obnoxious, rude, brash, uncouth, unlawful, and many other undignified traits. Byakuya scoffed—inwardly of course, so Renji couldn't hear the sound. The three of them were kind of people he despised most.

But…

But, they were also strong, courageous, iron-willed, and ready to stand for whatever they believed. In one particular case, the two younger men stood for preventing him to execute Rukia. Both Kurosaki and Renji had displayed a very strong iron-will and determination it impressed him. It impressed him so much he learned to accept them despite their many flaws, their rudeness and indecorum.

As for Zaraki, Byakuya was impressed by his strength and care for his baby fukutaichou, Yachiru, and his subordinates. They were very loyal to him. Never in the long time of his leadership had he received such loyalty like both Madarame and Ayasegawa pronounced to have for their brute taichou. It was something admirable, indeed.

After mulling over Zaraki, Renji, and Kurosaki, Byakuya eventually came back to his core problem. He felt like screaming now. And no, he wasn't so distraught he couldn't do his paperwork well. Oh, he worked well. His hand mechanically sorting and signing paperwork in autopilot, so yes, he functioned well. He praised himself for that. No matter how chaotic or disturbing his mind was, he could still function well.

But this feeling and this—this _guilt_ he felt every time he recall the moment tormented him.

…_Damn._

There, he cussed again.

Sometimes, he envied Renji and Kurosaki for their free spirit and outspoken attitude.

* * *

Renji glanced at his taichou as he worked on his own portion of paperwork.

Though he didn't clearly show it on his usual stony and emotionless face, Renji knew that Kuchiki-taichou was troubled. Years of working together with the ice block taichou made him sensible enough to detect even the slightest hint of annoyance or irritation on those grey eyes.

_Taichou has bags under his eyes_, he mused. Didn't he get enough sleep last night? Or the night before? And before? He recalled that his taichou had had eye bags since two weeks ago. And his taichou had been looked troubled since two weeks ago.

What happened two weeks ago? Renji found himself wondering. He had heard from Rukia that recently Kuchiki-taichou had been pressed by the Kuchiki elders to remarry, considering his several near-death experiences and lack of direct heir, aside from Rukia. And then again, Rukia wasn't even the true blood of Kuchiki, she was adopted. So, technically, she didn't even have any right to inherit the family.

Was it the true reason why his taichou had eye bags under his usually calm and cold grey eyes?

Somehow, he doubted it.

A jigokucho fluttered inside their office, startling the redhead. The small insect flew towards Kuchiki-taichou first, who raised one of his fingers up so it could perch on the appendage. He listened to the related message for a while then let the butterfly go to flutter towards Renji.

The redhead accepted the insect on the tip of his finger and listened to the message. One of his tattooed brows rose as he digested the message. After he was done, he let the insect to flutter out the window.

"A taichou-fukutaichou monthly meeting, Sir, in an hour." Renji announced.

Kuchiki-taichou sighed. "…I know, Renji, I also heard the message."

Renji flushed. "I know, Sir, just… make sure of our next schedule…" he lamely trailed off.

Kuchiki-taichou, however, completely disregarded him.

Next moment, Renji had finished his paperwork and bade good-bye to his taichou for an early lunch. Taichou-fukutaichou meetings were always long and boring, excluding some exceptions. So he headed towards the 9th division to ask Hisagi for having lunch together. He had asked Kira before, but the blond fukutaichou replied that he would have lunch with his taichou.

Renji sighed as he set on shunpo towards the 9th division building. Sometimes, regardless their time working together, he hoped that he could get closer with Kuchiki-taichou, just like Kira and Kuroyuri-san or Hisagi and Ashido-san right now. Both recently appointed taichous were serious and sometimes strict persons; but outside the divisions, they were relatively easy to be approached. They were less uptight and pompously arrogant than Kuchiki-taichou.

Was it because they weren't born as nobles? Perhaps.

Nobles were just pompous, arrogant, snobbish bastards after all.

* * *

As he picked the carefully and neatly cooked meal he had from his household's cook, Byakuya's mind strayed again. He didn't want to have lunch early, but well, aside from his nearly finished paperwork, he did have nothing particular to do until the time for meeting. So he resorted to have a lone early lunch instead.

Rukia probably had lunch with Ukitake and the rest of the 13th division. Since she became their fukutaichou, she spent less and less time in Kuchiki Manor. Though, she was also rarely at home before, she now nearly didn't come home for days, resorting to stay on her barrack in 13th division. Somehow Byakuya missed her. Especially after the elders' demand was made known, he missed her more.

Byakuya stared at his barely eaten rice and fish. He swallowed the food he had within his mouth and then shoved his chopsticks and bowl aside. He had lost his appetite some time ago as he thought about the elders' demand. They wanted—no, demanded—him to remarry. Of course, it would be with the suitable woman they had chosen before. Mostly they were coming from the noble families, high or lowly alike.

Byakuya didn't have any intention to remarry, of course. He still and always loved Hisana. He knew he was being romantically foolish and mellow, but he didn't care. There was no other woman, noble or not, who could make him fall in love again like Hisana did, long time ago.

Except, probably, there was one woman.

Byakuya froze in the middle of sipping his green tea.

_It's impossible_, he thought. _I don't love her. It was just a fling, a one night stand—a drunken one, even—that shouldn't happen in the first place. It was a mistake, grave mistake._

_My mistake…_

Back then, he didn't recognize her, indeed; so when he woke up next morning, naked and alone, inside the abandoned shack at District 3 of Western Rukongai, Hokutan; he was drowned in bewilderment and confusion as to why he had ended up there in his recent condition. He was suddenly hit by sheer fear of being noticed by someone or people nearby. He couldn't stand the prospect of humiliation. A noble like him shouldn't get drunk in Rukongai's bar; and then wander around and have sex with any unsuspecting woman.

He blamed the elders for that. Their ridiculously stern demand for remarrying a noble woman made him somehow livid and resorted to drink his self crazy at Rukongai's bar.

Trembling, he then gathered his things and donned his clothes back—thankfully, he remembered not to wear his haori and kenseikan, though he still wore his scarf. He kept wondering just whom he had slept with. Did he know her somehow, somewhere? Because her scent, that lingered at that place and on his clothes, was kind of familiar. It was the scent of lily of the valley.

For three days, he kept wondering about the identity of his mysterious woman. He almost snorted out loud at that statement. His woman, as if. He didn't even know her, let alone love her. Did he have any right to call her _his woman_? No. Not even once.

He still wondered—and got less sleep because of that—until Rukia eventually came home, carrying that familiar scent with her. His heart almost stopped in shock and fear. He didn't _accidentally_ rape Rukia, his own sister, did he? Though, if he did actually rape her, it explained why she didn't fight him. She might be scared of him and too shocked to fight against his strength, drunk or not.

…_Then again, she wouldn't have come home at all after that_, he mentally scolded himself. Still, Byakuya was appalled, though his outer feature didn't show it. _Oh, please don't…_

"Rukia," he called her evenly, despite his inner turmoil. His sister slightly jumped and then turned to regard him, her twinkling purple eyes cast downward like she usually did whenever she faced him. He hoped he didn't scare her enough.

Always elegantly silent and reserved, his sister was; when in his presence. Byakuya knew it was because of his regal and cold nature, that she could do nothing but the same.

"Niisama." She bowed slightly. At least she had ceased her overly deep bow at him, Byakuya mused absently. "Is there something you need from me?"

Byakuya chose his words carefully. "…You have a different scent today."

Rukia seemed slightly taken aback.

"So you notice, Niisama?" she practically beamed. Byakuya could only nod.

Since their time together in Hueco Mundo back then, he and Rukia had formed some kind of familial bonding. Not overly close like Rukia and Renji had before, but it could still be considered a close one; at least for him. She still acted all reserved and polite in his presence, but she was also more open in her emotion and expression to him. Byakuya was thankful for that.

"I got this perfume from Kuroyuri-san in SWA meeting. I applied it recently." She announced and showed him a small vial of perfume. Byakuya's brows rose. "It is her family's traditional fragrant. It's made from lily of the valley."

Byakuya couldn't help but feel intrigued. And not to mention, shocked. Kuroyuri? As if Kuroyuri Reina, the 3rd division recent taichou?

"Lily of the valley?" he asked her with impassive and uninterested tone; though, inwardly he felt his heartbeat go frenzied.

Rukia nodded happily. "You want to sniff at it, Niisama? I can pour some drops for you in a paper, or maybe your handkerchief? It smells real nice."

Byakuya slowly nodded and pulled out his handkerchief. Rukia poured two to three drops of perfume onto the cloth and handed it back to him. Byakuya took it and sniffed the scent carefully under Rukia's hopeful eyes. His eyes involuntarily fluttered shut in relived feeling of bliss and pleasure. _This is it… this is her scent, that woman's scent…_

"How is it, Niisama?" Rukia asked him hopefully. Byakuya regretfully opened his eyes, nodded and flashed a small, faint smile at her; much to her astonishment.

"You're right. It does smell nice." He spoke in low voice as he slipped the handkerchief back to his sleeve. "Thank you, Rukia."

Rukia, slightly baffled, looked at him with questioning look as she didn't miss the glimpse of longing look within her brother's eyes. But upon seeing the slight frown on his face indicating the end of the conversation, she didn't ask further. Instead she replied with a faint 'you're welcome' and proceeded to bid him good-night.

Back to his bedroom, Byakuya took the handkerchief and sniffed it. The flower scent, sweet and nice, lingered in his nostril long enough for him to savor the relived sensation caused by said scent. This was her scent, her personal scent. Byakuya was utterly relieved knowing that he didn't accidentally rape Rukia. At that time, she didn't even have any mission in Rukongai.

He made a mental note to look for any information regarding Kuroyuri Reina's recent mission tomorrow.

* * *

Kuroyuri Reina, the 3rd division taichou, had a single mission at District 4 in Western Rukongai that night.

Since she was formerly an Onmitsukidou member, she asked for the Soutaichou to handle the mission alone, considering the mission as same as an assassination mission. The old man granted her request, in one condition. She had to let the 12th division's trackers to keep on tabs with her every movement. She agreed, but she wanted to get rid of the connection after she was done with the mission. She just wanted some time alone.

The mission was to dispatch a small pack of hollows in Rukongai. The strongest one was at least Adjuchas-class menos, but mostly they were only small fries. Keeping her constant contact with the 12th division's trackers, Kuroyuri managed to finish her mission in two hours. The reiatsu measurement from the trackers showed that she had resorted to use her bankai to get rid of the hollows in quick and rapid movement.

She cut the lines from the 12th division some time after that. She was last heard talking to one of the scientist named Tsubokura Rin, telling him and his team her thanks for their supports. She also told him that she was unharmed and deeply tired, so she didn't want to be disturbed for now. Rin complied and congratulated her. Eventually, he bid her a good-night before the signal was cut.

It was happened in the evening, before Byakuya drunkenly stumbled on her several hours later. Before their mistake happened.

_So, Kuroyuri Reina, isn't it?_ Finally he found her…

Byakuya once again felt a pang of deep guilt. Doing that kind of act to any woman had been considered as something improper, penitential, despicable …_unforgivable_. Especially for a noble like him; moreover, he was a Kuchiki at that.

And he did that damnable act to the fellow taichou.

What an immoral thing to do…

But he couldn't banish the feeling or pleasure he felt back then. Encouraged by alcohol in his system, he caught her off guard by tackling her on the ground. And then he kissed her. She kissed him back, strangely. He then embraced her. She embraced him back, strangely.

She didn't struggle against him. She let him having his way with her.

Byakuya kept mulling over and over about this particular fact. Why didn't she fight him? Or snap at him so he would be back to his already tipsy sanity? Or at least scream at him? Why didn't she do all things like that?

He knew she was more than capable to do something like that.

So the question was, _why?_

And then he remembered a certain fact: she told the 12th division that she was deeply tired after dispatching the hollows. It was probably caused by the usage of her bankai. Byakuya didn't have a chance to witness it himself, since her assignment was done by the Soutaichou himself, supported by Unohana, Ukitake, and Kyouraku at that time; so they were the ones who already had privileges to witness her bankai.

So, he concluded with slightly horrified feeling, it meant that he truly had had his way with her by force. She was probably too tired to fight him back and settle to resign to her fate: being taken by him.

If it was true, how it could explain her reciprocation of nearly every kiss and caress he had given her?

How it could explain their mutual pleasure by reaching their zenith together?

* * *

Trying to seek her was as hard as seeking a needle amongst the hay.

Byakuya tried to find her reiatsu, but eventually he found that it was securely masked. She also seemed to avoid him for some reason. The noble was pretty certain now, that she did indeed remember that fateful night and try her hard to elude him.

Not that he blamed her. The act itself could be considered nonconsensual, though. No wonder she avoided him. She was undoubtedly afraid of him.

…_Was it?_

Byakuya shook his doubt. Of course it was nonconsensual, since it was done without their consent. At least, not with his consent whenever he was still sober, which he was not. And Kuroyuri herself didn't fight his advance. Maybe she couldn't. She was tired, afraid, and shocked to even fight him.

It brought him back to his current predicament.

He eventually settled himself to his usual impassiveness and apathy since his every attempt to find her had failed. She seemed to have a knack to elude him in precise time. Whenever he sought her in her office, she was always either training with Kurosaki or wandering somewhere else no body knew about her whereabouts; not even her fukutaichou. Somehow, she was similar like Ichimaru in that specific trait. One distinctive difference was that she always came back to where she was supposed to belong.

He almost caught her shadow one morning. He felt her reiatsu in early morning, a week and two days after the fateful night, dwelling within her confined office. She might be working on her paperwork.

Hoping to have the conversation over their matter, Byakuya nearly strode inside the 3rd division compound—by firstly masking his reiatsu, of course—when the man from the Correctional Force came and told him that his presence was expected in the 1st division office. He was expected to meet with the Soutaichou himself.

Quietly sighing in contempt, Byakuya dismissed the man and set on shunpo towards the 1st division. He would settle this matter later after the Soutaichou's speech. After all, duty was more important than his personal matter.

Unfortunately, when he was back from the meeting with Yamamoto hours later—much to his silent aggravation—Kuroyuri had already gone from her office.

She had been training with Kurosaki to who knows where. Most likely, a place where no body could detect their hollowfied reiatsu. Byakuya had an idea to where they would go, but eventually dismissed the idea to go after them. He didn't want to be seen approaching the woman with Kurosaki in vicinity. The brat more than often didn't know when to shut his mouth.

So, he settled to let the matter unsettled—until now.

The notification of meeting sparked another hope for him to take a chance to talk to her. He needed to talk to her, to straighten out their misunderstanding, their mistake. And for Byakuya personally, he was about to seek a redemption for acting so impulsively, so foolishly, and so unthinkingly on her. All in all, he wanted to apologize to her.

This meeting was his final chance.

With a gleam of hope—and amount of uncharacteristically nervousness in his mind—Byakuya rose to his feet and, after donning his haori and scarf, set on shunpo towards the 1st division meeting hall. He knew Renji might have arrived at the site before him.

Oh, he so very hoped to talk to her—finally.

These two weeks span truly killed him.

* * *

Byakuya could feel Renji's reiatsu approaching from the opposite direction. And then he saw his fukutaichou headed towards him.

"Sir." Renji greeted him with a slight bow.

Byakuya nodded at the younger man. "Go ahead, Renji. I'll catch up with you later."

Renji nodded and strode inside.

Still standing outside, Byakuya inhaled deeply to calm his nerves. After his frenzied heart beat calmed, he set on his stony mask and then strutted inside the meeting hall. Eventually, he closed his eyes and walked only by sensing his surrounding. He didn't want to meet her eyes yet when he went inside. He wasn't ready for that.

He could sense her reiatsu, serene and even. However, Byakuya was slightly concerned when he suddenly felt a ripple in her reiatsu, right after he showed his presence within the hall. He realized that she was troubled. Was she troubled because of him? Because of his presence?

Byakuya opened his eyes only to greet Ukitake, Kyouraku, and Unohana. As he shared platitude greetings with the older taichous, he couldn't help but glance subtly at her, from behind his bangs. Thankfully, she didn't seem to be aware of his glance.

There she was standing beside Kurosaki; silent, elegant, and graceful. She was beautiful; in different terms from Hisana's own charms. Hisana was pretty and petite; while Kuroyuri was beautiful and tall. Hisana looked soft and fragile; Kuroyuri looked elegant and strong. Hisana embodied frailness and innocence; Kuroyuri embodied independence and gracefulness.

…It wasn't that Hisana wasn't graceful or beautiful.

It was just… they were just… _so much_ different.

Byakuya was slightly dismayed.

When did he even begin to compare them? He inwardly sighed and closed his eyes as his mind reeled in chaos.

As he settled himself beside Unohana, a faint sound of sharp inhale was heard from Kuroyuri's direction. Byakuya snapped open his eyes and looked pointedly at her, scrutinizing her. She seemed …restless.

What happened? Her reiatsu, he noticed, was fluctuating.

…What happened…?

Yamamoto's arrival momentarily distracted him as he looked at the old general, regarding him with a slight nod. At the same time, clacking sounds of wooden sandals or geta could be heard from the hall's door as Urahara Kisuke sauntered his way inside the meeting hall, followed by his fukutaichou, Kurotsuchi Nemu.

Byakuya almost snorted out loud when he saw the scruffy face of Urahara. Honestly, the man was a nuisance. His obnoxious yet shady nature somehow unnerved him. Added the fact that he was Yoruichi's lover and best buddy, well, it was a cherry on the ice cream's top.

At least, he made a decent 12th division taichou than Kurotsuchi.

The man was accused for his crimes in conducting illegal and inhuman experiments on his own subordinates, namely living bombs. He was also accused for conducting an illegal experiment on the old Quincy Ishida Souken after purposely delaying the help for his aid. Not to mention, he was also charged for his other inhuman experiments; many of them. He was kept inside his old cell in Maggot's Nest by now.

Yamamoto then hammered the tip of his staff onto the floor. With all of the attention were on his person, he gruffly barked, "Meeting, begin!"

Byakuya only paid half of his attention to the Soutaichou as he laid out the explanation about several hollow-sightings in Rukongai. His full attention was on Kuroyuri. She seemed distracted. And her reiatsu… was fluctuating. Though, she still masked it cleverly, he could tell.

Byakuya frowned ever-so-slightly. What happened with her? Somehow, he began to feel worried.

The old general asked her directly about an order for some of her division's member to do scouting from district 55 to 60 in Rukongai. She didn't even listen to him. After Yamamoto snapped at her by asking her whether she listened or not, Kuroyuri was eventually back to the reality plane. She quickly and effectively set on her usual serene and calm mask; and then smiled at the Soutaichou. She asked for the order's repeat.

Byakuya knew, the other taichous also saw this unusual negligence of hers; and they felt concerned as well. Especially Unohana, as Byakuya noted, gazed concernedly at Kuroyuri. Not to mention, worriedly. The healer seemed to notice something …off with the 3rd division taichou. Probably something concerning her health. She didn't seem well, though she tried hard to cover it with her 'mask'. Byakuya could figure it since he also wore one; the mask that was.

Something glinting within Yamamoto's gaze towards Kuroyuri alarmed him. The old man seemed deeply concerned and worried. But he also seemed to notice something else—something more …inconspicuous; yet disturbing. What that something was, Byakuya didn't have a clue.

She looked ill.

Kira-fukutaichou fidgeted behind her, eyes glancing worriedly towards the said woman. Beside him, Byakuya could see Shizu-fukutaichou also had his eyes on the 3rd division taichou, his emerald twin gleaming with something resemble deep concern and …sorrow?

The noble frowned. Shizu's expression was, indeed, similarly alarming like Yamamoto's.

Suddenly, Byakuya could feel Kuroyuri's reiatsu plunging. His blood momentarily went cold as he heard a strangled cry coming from her mouth. She was in pain! But why—what caused her pain?

She shut her eyes tightly, probably due to the pain she felt. Yamamoto had stopped his speech and everyone's attention was at Kuroyuri. Eventually she doubled over and fell to her knees, groaning in pain. She clutched her midsection and, sometimes, head, in a something seemingly of sheer pain.

"_Taichou!"_ Kira-fukutaichou shouted in panic at his taichou and immediately knelt beside her, trying to support her.

Byakuya's blood ran cold but he was rooted on spot even as the others rushed to surround her. He could see Kuroyuri cry. Her face contorted in pain and agony; and she curled her body in a fetal position, still clutching both her midsection and head. Oh, how he wanted to be the one who held her close and comfort her. To be the one who expelled her pain away.

She had clung onto Kira's kosode and cried on his chest. She stuttered out an apology towards his fukutaichou which Kira countered by a panicked yell of her saving her own energy for better use. She complied, but eventually she went limp on her fukutaichou's arm. Kuroyuri had gone unconscious.

Byakuya froze in shock, fear, and mostly, worry. Worry for her, the woman who at least had shared an intimate night with him. Byakuya felt an instinctual protective urge to dash for her and hold her close, comforting her. He realized he didn't want to see her in that pained state _ever again_.

Unohana had already rushed towards the fainted woman even as the Soutaichou barely asked her assistance.

The healer then called her fukutaichou, ordering her to prepare the special examination room; and then they rushed towards the 4th division, Kira with Kuroyuri in arms and Kurosaki following. Byakuya could only stand still on his spot, rooted and desperately hoping he could abandon his everything only to be by her side right now.

How he hoped he could be like Kurosaki or Renji… freely defying the authority for the sake of the people they held dear.

Oh, how he hoped to be just Byakuya and not the Kuchiki taichou or clan head…

###

* * *

**A/N:** I hope I didn't make Byakuya quite OOC here… it's very difficult to write in his POV, yanno…

This is one of the most difficult story I've ever written... oh, well... enjoy and please R&R. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the late update. Thank you for everyone who has read, review, and favor this story. I try to make my OC not to be a Mary Sue. I think I will make an angsty story instead...

* * *

"Reina-san, you're now carrying a child."

Unohana softly, carefully announced the unexpected news to Reina; right after she awoke and promptly demanded an explanation. The healer taichou had told her fukutaichou to take care of another matter, leaving them alone. Both Kira and Ichigo had left the ward, after Unohana _kindly_ forced them to retreat. They had been waiting by Reina's bed for six hours straight. Yes, Reina had been unconscious for at least seven hours or so.

Reina only stared at Unohana, wide eyed, and paled considerably. _How—just what—_

She was speechless, shocked beyond belief. She couldn't believe that one time drunken—in Kuchiki's part and not hers, mind it—_fling_ had resulted in a child.

_A child for god' sake! _It just—it was …impossible! She wasn't even in her fertile period at that time. Hell, she had already had her period that month!

"…What?" She responded intelligently. Unohana sighed.

"You're carrying a child now. It has been around two or three days." She explained patiently, not wanting to make the younger woman fall in sudden panic or distress. Reina only continued to stare blankly at her.

Suddenly Unohana beamed at her. "It's surprisingly good news. I have to congratulate you. Shinigamis in Seireitei rarely get married or have children, you know. It will be nice to see any child once more, soon enough—"

"Wait a minute! Wait! Wait, Retsu-san! Just… wait…" Reina raised her hand to halt the other woman somehow happy rambling. Unohana looked at her, her eyes twinkling in glee. Reina suppressed an urge to let out a heavy, distressed sigh.

"That's not the main problem; you know that, Retsu-san." Reina blatantly told her. "Not to mention… don't you even want to ask me whose child it is?"

Unohana blinked and then smiled consolingly. "I do want to know. But I also realize that it's probably a sensitive matter to you. If you want to confide on me about the information, I will gladly listen. And don't worry; I will keep your confidential secret."

Reina didn't know whether she should hug the healer, laugh out loud, or plainly cry.

"…Retsu-san, I thank you for your consideration. But this child… well, I—it's not that I don't want the child, it's just…" she stammered in distraught.

Unohana raised one of her brows; slightly surprised hearing that Reina didn't even expect her own child; though she didn't utter a word as the younger woman tried to articulate her problem.

"…This child is just a mistake; an accident…" Reina trailed off. She looked away, embarrassed. The memory of that night resurfaced within her mind and she blushed.

Unohana blinked in shock.

"Don't call an innocent soul yet to be born as a mistake!" Unohana scolded her. Reina looked at her in unmasked dismay. She couldn't recall when the gentle and soft spoken 4th division taichou had ever talked in that firm tone; or _if_ she ever did it once upon a time before.

"If you want to call it a mistake, it's yours and yours only. The two of you have made a mistake and definitely not the child. Don't say something like that again, Reina-san." The healer told her in uncharacteristically firmness that made Reina gaped at her.

Reina cast her eyes down in sudden guilt and embarrassment. Unohana was right. She shouldn't blame the innocent not-yet-born child for her own mistake. And Kuchiki's mistake also.

"…It was happened two weeks ago. When I was in a mission." Reina began hesitantly. She didn't look at Unohana. "I…I was kind of careless. When he—he tackled me down, I didn't even register his reiatsu firsthand."

Unohana's eyes went wide as the younger woman's words echoed through the room. "Reina-san, you mean… _you were violated?_"

Reina turned her head to the side, avoiding Unohana's shocked gaze. She didn't—_couldn't_—call the act itself as violation or even rape; since she eventually gave in and participated rather willingly.

"N—No, it was—it was kind of complicated. He—the man was drunk like hell. He wasn't even aware of his surrounding—"

"That didn't make his deed to you could be easily allowable." Unohana firmly told her.

"…I know…it was…I…" Reina trailed off, unable to reason her own act.

Unohana observed her every movement; every fidgets, every twitch, everything that indicated the younger woman's distressful condition. She was worried, indeed. Hearing that Reina was, most likely, violated—or worse, _raped_—and the fact that she couldn't defend herself from the deed, Unohana somehow came into two conclusions. First, Reina was, probably, familiar with her aggressor. Second, since at that time, she was rendered helpless to counter the man's aggression; it could be concluded that, even in drunken state, the man was possibly stronger than her. That, and Reina eventually reciprocated his passion.

Unohana inwardly wondered. That was what most likely had happened that night; she was certain of it. And by narrowing the possibility of men who were certainly stronger than the 3rd division taichou—before and after bankai, presumably—she was dismayed to find that her notion eventually fell to her fellow male taichous.

"…Reina-san, you aren't in fine condition." Unohana finally stated to her. Reina looked up at her, crimson eyes glistening with unshed tears. She looked frail, tired, and definitely in distress, things that were usually unrelated with the independent and calm 3rd division taichou. Unohana felt sorry for her and decided to coax her to go back to sleep. "I will give you herbal tea that can induce you to relaxed state so you can go back to your much needed rest."

Without waiting for the other woman's retort, Unohana went to the corner of the room, where a small table with a set of teapot and jars of herbs were placed. After making her usual steamy pot of green tea, Unohana picked up a jar of specific herb and poured a pinch of the thing into the teapot. She stirred the concoction for a while and then poured a cup for Reina.

Reina accepted the cup and stared at it for some moment.

"Please drink the tea, Reina-san. It's good for you." Unohana wheedled. She saw the younger woman looked at her; and almost instinctively, she gave her a calming smile. Reina smiled back albeit faintly and sipped her tea.

"…It tastes weird." She commented absently.

Unohana softly laughed. "That was because I mixed the tea with dried valerian root. It's a good herb for relaxation and sedative purposes."

Reina only nodded, sipped her tea once to thrice times, and then gave up her cup to Unohana. She whispered a 'thanks' to the older woman and eventually fell asleep.

* * *

To say that Kira was distressed was blatantly an understatement.

Kuroyuri-taichou had fallen unconscious for more than eight hours now. Unohana-taichou had kindly told him that she would be alright and he should pay more attention to his own health. The healer eventually asked him to get some rest; after six hours waiting.

Kira was at a loss.

He didn't know for sure what caused his taichou to go into such miserable condition. He knew that Kuroyuri had been troubled for some time—for two weeks, precisely—but he didn't know the cause. He didn't have any courage to ask.

And now, he regretted it. He cursed his own cowardice.

Kira glanced at the clock. It was almost nine at night. He didn't have any dinner yet.

Sighing, he finally gave up working on his paperwork—after the disastrous meeting, somehow he had found his desk full of them. Most of them were his taichou's part; only some were his.

A brief knock startled him back to his current condition. He turned around and found Hinamori, Renji, and Hisagi at his office door. The petite young woman smiled at him and showed him a bento in her possession. Kira smiled at her.

"Momo-san, Abarai-kun, Hisagi-senpai…"

"Thought ya're still here, Kira." Renji drawled and shamelessly strode in. He plopped down onto the smaller couch within the office and eventually looked at his blonde friend. "Momo brings ya o-bento, her home made cookin'. Shizu let her home early this afternoon and she resorted cooking to spend her idle time."

Hinamori looked at Renji, her eyes wide in shock and embarrassment. "Abarai-kun! You don't have to say it like that!"

"Say it like what?"

"Like—like you're envious me because of my early dismiss!"

Renji scoffed. "I _am_ envious, Momo. Gee, what's with Kuchiki-taichou and his overload paperwork? Yanno, he didn't show up in the office after meeting it was kinda weird. I mean, come on, he's one of the most workaholic taichous in the entire Seireitei! He's second after Hitsugaya-taichou at that!"

"Shiro-chan isn't workaholic! He's just being diligent!" Hinamori protested.

"Whatever, Momo." Renji snorted. "I call that behavior as workaholic anyway."

Kira blinked. "He didn't show up in the office?"

"Yep. I couldn't trace his reiatsu either, but I know he didn't go somewhere outside Seireitei."

"How could you be so sure about that?" Hisagi butted in. He had also sat down across Renji, arms propped upon his knees.

Renji shrugged. "I just …know. Instinct, I guess. Not to mention, I've gone to Kuchiki Mansion and asked the guards there whether they saw their master or not; they gave me negative reply."

"He can be somewhere; _anywhere_." Hisagi retorted; a bit miffed. "You can't be so sure when it's concerning a man like Kuchiki-taichou."

"Humph, whatever. Like I care."

"…I have thought you'll say something like that, Abarai."

Kira pondered about Kuchiki-taichou's odd disappearance for a while; but quickly dismissed it. It wasn't his problem at all whether the man was present or not.

"Izuru-kun, please eat this." Hinamori's sweet voice brought him back from his reverie. He looked at the girl, who blushed deeply; and felt that he himself also blushing. A bit shakily, he received the bento from Hinamori.

"Th—Thank you, Momo-san. I'll enjoy it later."

Hinamori suddenly scowled at him. "No. You will eat this _now_, Izuru-kun. You don't have your dinner yet this evening and if you skip it once more, you'll get gastric ulcer for sure. Now, please eat this _now_."

Kira stared at her, bewildered. Hinamori could be so demanding sometimes.

"…O—okay. I'll eat this bento …now…"

Both Renji and Hisagi watched in amusement as their blond friend was being 'tortured' by his girlfriend. All in all, they were happy for the couple. Both Kira and Hinamori had had their predicaments before; so now they deserved at least some happiness.

* * *

When Reina eventually regained her consciousness, it was already past nine in the morning.

She knew; Reiki told her when she idly wondered about how long she had been sleeping all this time.

Reiki was her inner hollow; who, despite being inner hollow and all, was one of her best friends and most trusted entities in her life, aside from Kurogane, her zanpakuto, and, maybe, Yoruichi, her previous superior. Reina was previously a member of Covert Ops prior to her promotion to become a taichou in Gotei.

Long story short, there were three gaps in Gotei captaincy seats after Aizen's defection. The positions were vacant for so long the fukutaichous of the divisions respectively filled in as acting taichous. It was hard and difficult to be both taichou and fukutaichou, to maintain the division to run properly. Reina sometimes found herself wonder about Kira's predicament before she was appointed to be his superior.

She heard, after Ichimaru, the young man had another taichou before her, Amagai Shusuke. A good man actually, Kira told her once; it was too bad that he was consumed in deep hatred and longing for vengeance towards Yamamoto-soutaichou. He eventually committed suicide when he found out that his hatred and revenge were for nothing.

Reina knew him briefly—when she was still in her team at Onmitsukidou. She and Shusuke were in different corps back then, so they didn't know each other much.

The three gaps were finally filled in after the Winter War was over. Both she and another shinigami named Kanou Ashido finally came back to serve the Gotei once more. Despite her being a vaizard—in her own accord, not by result of Aizen's deceit or Hougyoku's manipulation—and Ashido being a rogue shinigami for so long time away, the Soutaichou surprisingly accepted them back. And after he found out that both of them had already reached bankai, the old general didn't waste time to ask and eventually promote them into taichous. She became 3rd division taichou, filling in Amagai and Ichimaru's vacant spot; and Ashido became 9th division taichou, filling in Tousen's spot.

As for the last gap, the 5th division vacant spot, the position was eventually filled in by a young man, a boy named Kurosaki Ichigo. Reina was kind of shocked when she found out that he was still alive as a human and that he was somehow one of the same kin as her. The boy was a vaizard; a powerful one at that. During his prior time as taichou-to-be, Reina had a chance to meet and tutor the boy. She found out that the rumor about the boy was all truth. Kurosaki Ichigo indeed had a very monstrous reiatsu and amazing keenness in learning something entirely new in short time.

She became quite acquainted with Ichigo. She often talked with him and he told her almost everything that had happened in his life. He had a shinigami as a father. He had twin little sisters, one of them having reiatsu powerful enough that she could gain her own zanpakuto without officially and properly training into becoming a shinigami. He had once infiltrated Soul Society as ryoka, along with his human friends, to rescue Kuchiki Rukia from death sentence. He had once invaded Hueco Mundo to rescue his friend, a girl named Inoue Orihime, from Aizen. He even once told her about his (suspecting) feeling towards one midget i.e. Kuchiki Rukia.

_Kuchiki…_

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes again, suddenly feeling tired though she barely awoke and did nothing except blinking, breathing, and pondering.

_Kuchiki…_

Why it always came back to that name? Musing about Kira and Ichigo had eventually brought her back to that name. Thinking about _everything_ in Soul Society would lead her back to that name. Kuchiki, after all, was one of the Four Noble Families in Seireitei…

…She digressed.

Sighing conspicuously, Reina shifted her body to her right side, facing the wall. She didn't need to be reminded of anything concerning _Kuchiki_. She had had enough mental problem to be dealt with; namely her inner hollow…

…Speaking of which, the hollow didn't yet utter even a word ever since she told her about the time…

…_Reiki?_ She tried to probe her mind, searching for the scarlet hollow of hers. _Reiki, are you there?_

No answer came.

Reina frowned. Where was she? Reiki wasn't normally quiet. She was more reserved and polite than Ichigo's inner hollow; but she was nothing but totally silent like this.

_Reiki, answer me!_

…_Mistress._

Reina almost choked on her own spit. Reiki's even and hollow voice worried and, somehow, scared her.

_Reiki? What's the matter? You sound weak! Reiki…_

…_I'm fine, Mistress, don't worry._ The hollow chuckled softly. _I'm just… kinda tired, that's all._

Reina didn't understand.

_Tired? Why? What have you done this time?_

_Nothing too serious, Mistress._ Her hollow scoffed. _Just a bit of fixing and running around here and there…_

Reina blinked. _Fixing… running around… for… what?_

She heard her hollow laughed. It sounded different than her usual mirth. It sounded… pained and empty. Reina shivered.

_Nothing to be of your main concern, Mistress. Just sleep already! You need that._

_Reiki…_

_I say nothing more._

_Reiki… what's wrong? Does it… concern __**him**__?_

No answer came.

The red clad woman went totally silent. It was as if the hollow suddenly vanished from Reina's inner world. Reina felt strangely empty. She was confused and a bit perplexed by her hollow's behavior. She was worried for her. But she didn't want to force the answer from Reiki. So she let her be.

Reina eventually sighed and closed her eyes once more. She fell asleep again almost immediately.

* * *

Reina awoke when she dimly heard light conversation beside her bed.

Inside her head, Reiki whispered the time as she wondered for how long she had been out this time. The scarlet hollow told her it was nearly seven in the evening. She almost scoffed at that. She had slept for the entire day.

Opening her eyes slowly, she peered to her side and found Kira sitting beside her bed. He was accompanied by his friends; the usual lot, i.e. Abarai, Hisagi, and Kira's apparent girlfriend, Hinamori. They chatted lightly and seemed unaware of her awoken state.

Abarai, however, was the first one to notice.

"_Kuroyuri-taichou!_ Kira, she's awoken!" he practically yelled. Hisagi quickly elbowed his gut, hushing him.

Kira quickly scrambled to her side, somehow making her chuckle. His expression was one mixing of worry, concern, and relief. Reina raised a hand and cupped his cheek softly.

"…Izuru, glad to see you again. I'm sorry …for making you worry about me."

Kira smiled consolingly. He felt relieved and glad that his taichou had finally awoken from her long slumber. Unohana told him that Kuroyuri needed mostly resting, so he left his taichou be for all day before he decided to see her again in the end of the day. Abarai, Hisagi, and Momo decided to tag along.

"It's fine, Taichou. I—I'm also glad that you're alright."

"Of course I am. I feel better now."

Reina smirked weakly at him. She still felt unwell, but she didn't want others to concern about her more than this. She then tried to sit, but Kira held her back.

"No, Taichou, you mustn't force yourself to sit. Just relax and lie down."

Not wanting to argue with her fukutaichou, Reina nodded. However, she didn't want to lie back on the mattress so she propped some pillow onto the headboard. Kira helped her. Reina smiled gratefully at Kira and proceeded to lean on the pillows.

But then her smile faltered slightly and she gave him an apologetic look. "…The paperwork? Sorry, Izuru, I didn't mean to—"

Kira smiled reassuringly at her. "Taichou, you shouldn't be worry about that. I can do most of the paperwork alone. If I need help, the 3rd seat Fujieda and 4th seat Hisagawa can aid me."

"…How about the scouting?"

"The 5th division will take over the job. I and several seated officers in our division will also give aid in the scout."

Reina smiled softly at her diligent fukutaichou and tousled his hair. It made the neatly combed bangs slightly disheveled, but Kira simply didn't mind. He was accustomed by his taichou's habit to simply touch him in a friendly or even affectionate manner—familial affection, of course. He knew Kuroyuri considered him like a little brother, not anything else.

"…I see. Still, I owe an apology to you."

"Apology accepted, Taichou."

Renji, Hisagi, and Hinamori watched the scene in amusement and slight embarrassment. They felt they had witnessed something intimate and it kind of embarrassed them. Not that they guessed anything suspicious in Kira and Kuroyuri's relationship; since they knew that both of them regarded each other like close friends and siblings.

Renji then cleared his throat. Both 3rd division officers turned to look at him.

Grinning sheepishly, Renji spoke lightly, "Sorry, it's not that I wanna interrupt yer time, but I kinda have a message fer ya, Kuroyuri-taichou."

Reina raised her brows elegantly. "Message for me? From who…?"

Somehow, she dreaded the answer. She had the inkling just from _wh_o the message was. _He_ was Abarai's superior. It wasn't unusual if he sent her a message via his fukutaichou…

"From Kuchiki-taichou." Renji frowned a bit at this. He still remembered his superior's peculiar questioning and expression, even though it was only for a second fleeting on his stony face. "He said that he wanted to talk about something with ya, Taichou."

Reina froze. Beside her, Kira felt his taichou tensed slightly and wondered why.

"Wh—when? Where?" she stuttered and immediately cursed her nervousness—inwardly of course. She didn't want to sound _pathetic_ in front of her subordinate or worse, other people—not to mention, one of them was _his_ subordinate. They mustn't know about this …embarrassing fact.

Renji frowned deeper and scrutinized her for a moment. Slowly, he muttered. "Whenever ya feel better, Taichou. As fer the place, he didn't say any specific place, but he wanted to talk in a rather secluded place… dunno…" he trailed off.

Reina looked away. "…I see. Tell him I will... I will see him tomorrow morning in the Soukyoku Hill. I usually watch the sunrise there…"

Kira frowned at the answer. He wanted to protest, but eventually kept his mouth shut.

"…Alrighty then." Renji, still frowning, nodded at Hisagi and Hinamori. "Well, I think we have spent so much time here, so we excuse ourselves, Kuroyuri-taichou. Kira, we meet ya in the usual place."

Kira waved at his red haired friend dismissively. One by one, they excused themselves, leaving only Kira and Reina in place.

Kira turned to regard his taichou and saw that she was trembling. Concerned and misinterpreting her tremble as a sign of being cold, he reached for spare blanket in the cabinet and draped the thick cloth over Reina's slender form carefully. He stopped dead at seeing her unexpected tears cascading down her pale, delicate cheeks.

"Taichou? Something's wrong? Are you in pain? Should I call Unohana-taichou? Do you need something, _anything_? Taichou, tell me…"

Without looking at his panicked fukutaichou, Reina murmured something incoherent. Kira had to move closer to hear it.

"Beg your pardon, Taichou? I'm sorry I can't hear you clearly—"

"…I'm scared, Izuru." Her words were whispered sorrowfully it made Kira froze.

"…I made a mistake. A big mistake and now I'm scared of its consequence…" Reina sobbed faintly now. She couldn't hold it anymore. Everything she had bottled up since two weeks ago finally exploded. She didn't care as she began to cry in front of her fukutaichou.

She buried her face in her hands, sobbing frantically and heartbrokenly. "I'm scared… I'm scared of meeting him! I'm scared of him! I'm scared…"

"Taichou…"

Kira was at a loss. He could only hold his taichou in a consoling hug. He let her cry out her frustration and wet his kosode as a result. He didn't care. All he cared about was his taichou was in deep trouble and somehow it was concerning someone. Someone he vaguely had a notion _who_; though he didn't know the reason _why_. He would know the reason soon, at least.

"I don't want to meet him… I'm scared of him, Izuru… I'm scared…" Reina repeated in heartbroken sobs, over and over. She clung onto Kira's kosode, devastated and sad.

"Taichou, who is _he_? Is he…Kuchiki-taichou?" He felt his taichou stiffened within his embrace, confirming his notion. "…If you're scared of meeting him, let me handle the matter with him. I will be the one who talk with him tomorrow morning. Besides, I doubt Unohana-taichou will release you, considering your current health, Taichou."

He knew he was bluffing. Confronting Kuchiki Byakuya was as same as confronting silent death itself.

Reina yanked herself away from him, much to Kira's shock. She shook her head vigorously at him. "No, no, no, no, Izuru, you can't! It's my personal problem with him! I can't let you handle this particular problem for me! You can't… I can't… I…"

She was crying again as she remembered her predicament. She was pregnant—with his child. Somehow, it saddened her, making her devastated. It wasn't because she didn't want the child; but she would rather settle down first, get married, and have children in normal situation than be entrapped in this tangle web of a predicament. She was lost, she was confused, and she was _definitely_ unready to face the supposedly responsible man for her predicament tomorrow.

But she had made her words. And Kuroyuri Reina wasn't a woman who failed her own words.

Kira hugged his crying taichou once more. It pained him to see her in such miserable condition. Somehow, he wondered where Unohana-taichou was. Usually the healer taichou was nearby.

"You—you have to trust me, Izuru… I—I don't want to—I mean, I…" she sobbed. Kira listened carefully. "It was a mistake… mistake…"

"Shush, Taichou. I trust you. I'll _always_ trust you." Kira reassured her. He rocked his taichou slowly, back and forth, soothing and calming her.

"It—it was a mistake. It happened two weeks ago… you remember? I had a single mission that day…" Reina was no longer crying. She leaned and clung to Kira as if for dear life.

Kira nodded absently. "I remember, Taichou. You asked the Soutaichou to handle the hollows alone. You didn't even let me accompany you! And I was worried sick about your safety… you didn't come back yet after midnight, even though the 12th division's lab told me you had cut the connection since early evening…" he trailed off. "…Sorry, Taichou, I'm rambling…"

Reina shook her head dismissively. She pried herself away from Kira's hug and looked at her subordinate apprehensively. "…No, Izuru. You have every right to be mad at me for having you worry over my safety… it was just… at that time, I was caught off guard by someone…"

Kira's eyes widened. "Taichou… you mean…?"

"I collided with Kuchiki-taichou that night. He was… unexpectedly, shockingly _drunk_…" Reina saw a dubious look on Kira's face; and she couldn't help but chuckle. Thanks to Kira's consoling hug, she had calmed a bit. "I know… it's hard to believe. Kuchiki Byakuya and drunkenness are two things which never be paired together.

He—he didn't recognize me. He was devastatingly drunk… I even pondered to knock him out and carry him to his mansion, but somehow I dismissed the idea. It would be a humiliation for him if I did it. So I decided to continue my way back home. I was tired as hell; I barely used my bankai for the mission…

But I was shocked when he unexpectedly tackled me onto the ground. He used some kind of kidou to paralyze me and I couldn't fight back—it—it was—his kidou was too strong to be broken! I—"

Reina started to cry again, even bordering in hyperventilating now. Kira quickly held her within his embrace once more, trying his hard to calm and soothe her.

"Taichou, calm down! Relax, I'm here with you… no one can hurt you anymore… not even Kuchiki-taichou…" he trailed off, unable to believe he had barely said that.

Kuchiki-taichou was a strict and cold man, but the idea of him hurting his taichou in the way she had barely told him was even bizarre for him to believe. But he trusted his taichou. He trusted her no matter what. Especially when and after he saw her miserable condition, he was sure that there was _no way_ his taichou lying.

Reina had calmed once more. She continued in wistful, whispery voice, "…He—he touched me…"

Kira froze, unable to believe his ears. "He WHAT?"

"…He touched me… caressed me… coaxed me to surrender to him…" she trailed off, definitely embarrassed. "…And I _willingly_ let him to take me, Izuru…I—I feel dirty…"

"Taichou…"

"…I feel dirty because somehow I let him, Izuru. I let him to take me that night! I appreciated his act! I—I—for the next two weeks, I agonized over facing him. I thought he wouldn't remember about our …fling. But it seemed he remembers or what; and he sought me to talk about it." She sighed heavily. "…I avoided him. Every time he sought for me, I fled …I know he probably wants to ask forgiveness from me… but the thing is… there's nothing to forgive… I was willingly surrendering to him after all…"

Kira was still silent, shocked beyond belief.

There was a heavy silence lingering. Neither of them moved nor spoke; until Reina tentatively asked Kira.

"Izuru…"

Kira slowly looked down and stared at his taichou's sad eyes. "Taichou…?"

"…Do you think I am a whore? For surrendering to him? For letting him took me?"

Kira was shocked. "NO! Taichou, I _don't_ and _will never_ think of you that way! The one who is guilty is Kuchiki-taichou! We can't let this matter off, Taichou! Whether you surrendered or not, his act can be considered as violation! A rape! We have to tell the Soutaichou—"

"And risking to be confronted by the mighty Kuchiki family later?" Reina scoffed softly. "…No. I don't want to risk the chance. Not that I'm worried for my own well being, but I'm worried for yours as well."

Kira was bewildered. "Taichou, you don't need to worry about me! It isn't about me after all! It's all about you! Your predicament! He has hurt you and you will let him get away from this? I don't think so—"

His rambling was cut off by Reina's gentle yet stern remark.

"Izuru."

Kira looked at his taichou mournfully and saw the pain within her crimson orbs. He could feel her reiatsu slowly prickled his skin and oppressed his person. He gulped.

"Taichou…"

"Don't. Ever. Tell. Anyone. About. This. Matter. Especially to Abarai and Matsumoto. Understood?"

Kira nodded numbly.

"…One more thing…" Reina paused and absentmindedly rubbed her abdomen. Kira's gaze followed her hand's movement and his eyes widened in horrifying comprehension. "Re—Retsu-san told me something yesterday…"

Kira waited as his taichou paused dramatically. She didn't even look at him. He somehow had guessed the next words, though.

"…She told me that I—I am… I am pregnant, Izuru…" she whispered sorrowfully. "I'm carrying his child… Kuchiki Byakuya's child…"

Kira slowly closed his eyes in dreadful finality.

Oh, how he mourned for his taichou's predicament…

###

* * *

This is getting complicated. Reina is such a contradict person, I suppose.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.

* * *

Unohana Retsu stood motionlessly outside her colleague's room.

She heard everything. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but somehow her curiosity won over her conscience and even her decorum.

So she _eavesdropped_ at Reina's confession.

What she barely heard shocked her to the core. Kuchiki? As if Kuchiki Byakuya? The icy, stoic nobleman of Seireitei? _Drunk_ and _lay_ with Reina?

It sounded…very much bizarre.

Still carefully masking her reiatsu, she crept from her place and unhurriedly paced back to her office. Isane was in another ward, helping the other division members tending for the patients from 11th division. They were involved in bar brawl again. Unohana reminded herself to 'scold' Zaraki Kenpachi later…

She eventually decided not to confront the two inside the room for a while. Reina would likely sleep again after her outburst. Kira-kun would accompany and console her. And tomorrow morning, the 3rd division taichou would ask her for sickbed release.

Unohana could make her stay on her bed for as long and needed as she wanted; since she was the healer here—but she also knew that Reina detested going back on her word. If she said she would meet Byakuya at Soukyoku Hill tomorrow morning, then she _would_. Unohana respected the woman and her resolute, so she wouldn't hinder her in case she asked later.

Although…

Her keen sense suddenly caught a shift of movement. Either movement or reiatsu was subtle and well-hidden, but Unohana knew who he was. She had felt his reiatsu for some times though. Her deep blue eyes narrowed as she regarded the person.

"Kuchiki-taichou." She queried in firm yet slow voice, not wanting to make any ruckus. "May you come out of the shadow, please?"

Byakuya stepped out of the shadow, as he initially hid behind the pillar. He regarded the healer taichou by bowing slightly.

"Unohana-taichou."

Unohana kept her calm and smiling face, though, she was inwardly unnerved.

"Kuchiki-taichou, what …_important matter_ brings you wandering in my division's corridor in such hour?" the woman emphasized the words of 'important matter' with slightly sarcastic tone. If the icy taichou of the 6th division noted the subtle sarcasm, he surely didn't show it in his ever impassive mask of a face.

"I want to talk with you." Byakuya paused before added in more hushed voice. "In private."

"Well, you've met me now and we're completely alone. But to reassure you, let's head to my office, shall we?" Unohana kept her voice even and sweet as she briskly strode past the younger taichou and headed towards her office.

Byakuya inwardly frowned; he nodded nonetheless. He followed the senior healer towards her office.

* * *

To say that Kuchiki Byakuya was nervous beyond belief was an utterly, blatantly understatement.

After the disastrous meeting, he didn't come back to his office—it was so uncharacteristically of him he was even baffled until now. But somehow, he needed comfort and distraction from his own aggravation. So he went off and visited Hisana's grave. He silently sat there and moped, lamenting everything to his late wife. After he felt slightly better, he went back home, not bothering to come checking to the office. He knew and trusted Renji enough to finish the day's paperwork.

He then heard from one of his servants—the one he had sent to seek information about Kuroyuri's condition in the ward. The report didn't sit well in his mind, however. The woman wasn't yet conscious; though she was stable for now.

Kuchiki Byakuya didn't want to admit it, but he was worried about _her_.

He didn't let the anxiety showed on his face—like usual. He kept his face straight and stony so people wouldn't suspect anything regarding his inner turmoil—though he had a strong notion that his fukutaichou _and_ little sister noticed his slightly …_off_ behavior.

For the next entire day working on his paperwork behind his desk, Byakuya could feel Renji's glances every now and then. He typically ignored them. He knew his fukutaichou still wondered just where he was yesterday.

But then, Rukia came to the office, asking Renji to have lunch with her and that Kurosaki brat. She, of course, invited him also; but Byakuya refused. She didn't push the matter, though she did seem crestfallen by his refusal.

Later, she blinked at him—with her own reserved and subtle manner, he noted—and crept closer to his desk. Byakuya had stopped his signing activity as he observed his sister's movement from the corner of his eyes.

"…What's wrong? Rukia?" he had queried her with an even tone. She seemed startled by his query, but she quickly found her resolute and kept her big, violet eyes on him.

"Niisama, may I …ask you something?" she politely inquired. Byakuya tilted his head slightly; a sign that he granted her his permission.

"…Are you …alright?"

Byakuya had to keep the urge to gape at her. Instead he only blinked at his so called little sister.

"…I am perfectly fine, Rukia. Whatever thing causes you to ask that question?"

Rukia had the decency to blush. Behind her, Renji could be seen working on his excessive paperwork while waiting for her, though Byakuya was one-hundred-percent sure he was _listening_ to their conversation.

"…Ah, umm, nothing. But you seem…a bit off."

Byakuya put his brush down and looked at her with a blank expression. Rukia flushed and quickly averted her gaze downward.

"Why do you say that?"

Rukia fidgeted. "Well…I just note that something is slightly different with you today, Niisama."

"What's different?"

"Eh…you seem... agitated somehow." She paused to find the right word. "Like…like you're busy pondering about something gravely important."

Byakuya couldn't help but feel in awe at his sister's keen observance. Almost no one could note his well hidden emotion for the exception of his grandfather—or maybe a certain black cat.

"…Rukia, I am fine. I can assure you that." He eventually stated in final tone.

Rukia caught the finality in his tone and dropped the conversation. She bowed slightly at him and ushered Renji out of the office. They left him alone for the entire lunch time.

While having his lunch in his mansion, Byakuya was drowned within his pondering. His mind was back at the scene that happened yesterday afternoon. He could remember vividly about her: her curled body, her pained and broken sobs, her tears…

He tightened his grip on the chopsticks and felt the utensils broke in two. He glared at the broken chopsticks and put them down. He was halfway eating but now he had already lost his appetite.

Shoving his bowl aside, Byakuya decided to go back to his office and finished his paperwork.

As the time neared four in the afternoon, Renji finished his portion of paperwork. Byakuya gave his dismissal to him. But when he felt three other familiar reiatsu, he halted as he suddenly had an epiphany.

Tentatively, he asked his fukutaichou.

"…Renji."

The redhead turned to regard him. "Yes, Taichou?"

"Will you and your…friends be going straight home or having dinner?" Byakuya knew his question was odd, especially for him; so he ignored the questioning look Renji sent his way.

"…Actually, no, Taichou. We—me, Hisagi, and Hinamori—will tag along with Kira to 4th division infirmary to see Kuroyuri-taichou."

"Have she awoken yet? Is she fine by now?" he asked the questions a bit too fast. Renji stared at him, long and hard.

"I…dunno yet, Taichou. Kira didn't say anythin' about that." Renji answered after some times. He observed his taichou's expression and eventually noted the glint of faint disappointment and …sadness (?) within his usually blank gray eyes.

Idly, the redhead patted his back mentally. Working with the stoniest and—aside from the reiatsu's element involved (cough*Hitsugaya-taichou*cough)—_iciest_ taichou in the entire Gotei somehow worth it. He had learned things from his taichou, one of them being 'how to decipher the slightest, tiniest fleck of emotion within Kuchiki Byakuya's blank and emotionless noble mask'.

The redhead fukutaichou frowned slightly upon this fact, already memorizing the peculiarity of his taichou's behavior and expression; though he didn't want to bring it up soon. He also remembered Rukia's question towards Byakuya.

"What's the matter, Taichou?"

Byakuya closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. "…Nothing, Renji. Just…when—when she awakes later, could you please tell her that I want to talk to her? In private? If she doesn't awake by the time you're there, then tell Kira-fukutaichou that I would like to have a talk with his taichou later." He cursed inwardly when he felt sudden anxiousness.

_Okay, this is creepy_, Renji bemused. "…Certainly, Taichou. Anythin' else?"

Byakuya nodded slightly, still cursing inwardly for his sudden jittery. "No specific place, as long as it's private. No specific time, either. Just…when she feels quite healthy and…ready…" he trailed off.

Renji slowly drawled. "Oookay, Taichou. I'll send yer regard then. Is that all?"

Byakuya nodded and didn't say anything else. Renji knew that it was his final dismissal and after slight bowing at his taichou, he zapped away in a swish of shunpo.

* * *

Byakuya sighed.

All in all, he eventually decided to visit her by himself. So he trailed behind Renji and his friends—reiatsu masked—towards the 4th division infirmary. However, when he arrived there, he preferred to hide behind nearby pillar in the hallway just outside her sickroom.

He saw Unohana-taichou went in and out again for several times to check on her patient. From Kuroyuri's serene and even reiatsu, Byakuya knew that she didn't yet awake.

He could hear Renji's boisterous laughter and somehow felt an urge to smack him on the head for behaving so uncouthly within the sickroom—_her_ sickroom. He was inwardly grateful to Hisagi-fukutaichou when the latter scolded the redhead to behave—accompanied by a hard elbow on Renji's gut, Byakuya guessed from the redhead's pained groan and curse.

Suddenly he heard Renji's loud voice of "_Kuroyuri-taichou!_ Kira, she's awoken!" followed by rustling sound of clothes as Kira-fukutaichou moved closer. He stiffened as he felt her faint reiatsu pulse along with her consciousness.

Byakuya couldn't hear the slightly hushed conversation clearly but he guessed that Kira-fukutaichou and Kuroyuri-taichou exchanged pleasantries and consoling words. He had heard about their close relationship anyway—though, now, for an unknown reason, the fact irked him…a bit. He mentally shrugged off the thought and somehow wondered why he suddenly felt _feeling_ like that.

He heard Renji cleared his throat and eventually relayed his previous message. Subconsciously, Byakuya stilled as he strained his ears to listen.

"Sorry, it's not that I wanna interrupt yer time, but I kinda have a message fer ya, Kuroyuri-taichou."

"Message for me? From who…?"

He heard her deep yet somehow disoriented voice. Byakuya had to hold his smile. He found he liked her voice—it was femininely deep and mature…sensual. He vaguely remembered her voice when she moaned and groaned his name in utter satisfaction… just underneath him… that night…

He mercilessly banished the unholy reminiscence and focused his attention to keep listening to the conversation.

"From Kuchiki-taichou." He heard his fukutaichou paused; a slight hesitancy within his rough voice when he spoke next. "He said that he wanted to talk about something with ya, Taichou."

There was a palpable, heavy pause before Kuroyuri's response came in stuttering words.

"Wh—when? Where?"

Byakuya blinked as he felt the slight fear within her voice. Not to mention, her reiatsu wavered for a moment, indicating her sudden agitation. His heart, somehow, fell.

Renji's answer came after a couple of seconds.

"Whenever ya feel better, Taichou. As fer the place, he didn't say any specific place, but he wanted to talk in a rather secluded place… dunno…"

When Kuroyuri-taichou replied, Byakuya could hear the wistful tone in her voice. "…I see. Tell him I will... I will see him tomorrow morning at the Soukyoku Hill. I usually watch the sunrise there…"

_Tomorrow morning…she will see me tomorrow morning…_

Byakuya sensed Renji's departure with Hisagi-fukutaichou and Hinamori-fukutaichou, leaving both 3rd division officers alone. He felt that _feeling_ again; though he quickly shoved it aside.

He was reluctant to stay and keep listening to their conversation when he heard Kira-fukutaichou's sudden panicked outburst.

"Taichou? Something's wrong? Are you in pain? Should I call Unohana-taichou? Do you need something, _anything_? Taichou, tell me…"

Byakuya felt his blood ran cold. He almost burst out from his hiding place and strode inside the room when he spotted Unohana-taichou standing before the closed door of the same room. The woman, however, didn't go inside like he predicted she would be; instead she only stood there and…listened.

Byakuya frowned. He couldn't even imagine Unohana Retsu would be _eavesdropping_ people's conversation, but there she was.

He listened for some moment at—most to his shock—Kuroyuri's broken sobs and cries of 'I'm scared' before slipped away from his previous spot.

He didn't want Unohana caught him red-handed eavesdropping by the way.

As he silently walked away, Byakuya couldn't help but feel heavy sadness within his gut as he repeated her cry of 'I'm scared' over and over within his mind.

* * *

Back to his current predicament, Byakuya followed the 4th division taichou into her neat office.

"Please, take a seat, Kuchiki-taichou."

Her tone, while still polite and soft, had crisp quality within. Byakuya inwardly cringed. It was like…as if she knew about his and Kuroyuri's secret—their mistake. He felt a sinking feeling—she might have known by now, somehow...

The woman then politely offered him a cup of jasmine tea, which he accepted heartily. He felt somehow thirsty after some times of—for the lack of appropriate term—'eavesdropping'.

"Thank you, Unohana-taichou."

You're welcome, Kuchiki-taichou."

They were silent for some moments, with only faint sounds of the activities inside the next buildings that could be heard. Unohana watched him carefully—more like scrutinized him, Byakuya mused—as he sipped his tea with noble grace. After some pregnant silence, she asked him softly.

"What important matter do you want to talk with me about?"

Byakuya glanced at her from behind his bangs, searching for any hint of oddness. The woman didn't have any noticeable expression on her face, only serenity and calmness—like she usually dons. Byakuya had to admit, being much older than him, Unohana knew well about donning a poker face whenever she wanted to. Sometimes, he had inkling that the senior healer was more competent than him in that matter.

"…It's about the 3rd division taichou…" he trailed off, somehow unsure how to voice his problem. Unohana only raised one of her elegant brows, not bothering to give any comment or whatsoever.

Seeing no question uttered by the older taichou, Byakuya continued with more firm voice. "I wish to talk with her about…something…"

Unohana's eyes narrowed. "I don't want to pry into your..._personal business_ with her, but may I ask you something?"

The Kuchiki noble nodded.

"Can I have your words for _not_ pushing over whatever matter you have with her? Her condition isn't yet stable. I'm afraid that…even minor shock can influence her health."

Byakuya nodded firmly. "You have my words, Unohana-taichou. I will not deliberately cause her trouble or worsen her health further. I just…want to talk with her…"

Unohana was silent as she kept her sharp eyes on the younger man. "…Alright then. I'll release her tomorrow morning. Reina-san only needs more thorough resting. Sometimes she overworks herself, much like Hitsugaya-taichou—" She paused, smiled, and added, "—and you, Kuchiki-taichou."

Byakuya didn't comment anything as her words were right. He was a workaholic and perfectionist by nature.

"You can talk to her tomorrow morning." The healer taichou spoke next. "I will tell her about you later. Though I think, Abarai-kun has told her earlier."

Byakuya nodded. "I relayed a message for her via Renji. I believe he has told her when she was awakened moments ago."

Unohana raised a brow. "So you know? She's barely conscious this evening."

"…I can feel her reiatsu."

"So you say."

When he eventually left the 4th division ward, the Kuchiki noble still had a notion that Unohana somehow teased him in her last words.

* * *

Byakuya awoke before the dawn.

Methodically, he took a bath and donned his usual shihakusho—without servants to help him, of course. He had his own servants to help him with household tasks, a simple necessity for him being the head of the family. But he disliked being assisted when he dressed. When Hisana was still alive, she usually did help him dress; just like wives usually do to their husbands. But now she was gone, he kept resorting to dress by himself.

As he faced the tall mirror while fixing his scarf and kenseikan, Byakuya couldn't help but wonder about certain things.

What if…what if he remarried…with _her_? She was the woman whom his family would definitely loathe even more than Hisana. Because she didn't only come from the non-noble family…she was also a vaizard.

This certain fact made him still in his movement.

She was _a vaizard_.

She wasn't a shinigami—she was a hybrid between a shinigami and hollow…an abomination. His family would surely call her that. Abomination…a monster…

Byakuya shuddered.

No, she wasn't a monster. She was a shinigami, a proud one at that. She was a strong and reliable division leader, admired and well-respected as her efforts for her division were successful. The 3rd division had slowly worked to stand on its own feet again, thanks to her hard work. She had gained her subordinates' trust and loyalty; she had changed them from their old pathetic selves into their new confident and strong ones. She was well-loved by her subordinates, seated officers and lowly ranks alike; much like Ukitake and Unohana.

She was beautiful and graceful. She was well-mannered and decorous. She was mature, confident, and calm. She was smart. She could handle problems well. She…

She was the perfect material of typically noblewoman. She was perfect…to be his partner, his…wife…

Byakuya blinked. _Where does that thought come from?_

Eventually finished dressing, haori and stuff, Byakuya stepped outside his room and was almost immediately greeted by his personal servant. The old lady, Masako, asked him whether he wanted to have breakfast or not. Byakuya decided to have some tea before he left for Soukyoku Hill. To meet her, personally.

Somehow he felt nervous.

He was scarcely nervous, even when he faced his demanding family. Well, that fateful night, two weeks and three days ago, was exceptional. He was frustrated back then, thus he decided to drink himself crazy. And then he made that mistake…with _and_ to her. Somehow, he still wondered about her willing reaction back there…

"Your tea, Byakuya-sama." Masako's soft voice jerked him back from his reverie. He nodded at the old servant and silently dismissed her. The old lady, however, gave him a hard and long look before politely bowed and sashayed away.

Byakuya wondered if she knew about something, about him and Kuroyuri; and about something that happened between them. The old servant Masako was one of his family's favorite attendants—and also their most trustworthy source regarding his condition and every motion—since she was his personal servant. It wasn't him who chose the old lady as personal servant; it was rather because of the tradition within Kuchiki family to appoint the oldest retainer to be the clan leader's personal servant.

What if she was sent to spy on him? What if she had already known about…

_Nonsense! Don't be such paranoid, Kuchiki Byakuya! There's no way she knows about your secret …your mistake. There's no possible way she knows…_

Byakuya took some sips before he finally stood up and strode out of his mansion. The vicinity was dark, the sun not rising yet. Though he could see streaks of brightly yellow and red on the east; the sign of the upcoming dawn. Sighing, he decided to set on light shunpo as he headed towards the hill.

* * *

He found her sitting on the edge of the cliff, feet dangling nonchalantly, her entire focus fixed on the approaching sunrise.

She didn't wear her haori, only her simple shihakusho. However, the aforementioned cloth was folded neatly at her lap. Instead of tying her hair, she let it free and flowing. Her luscious and sleek raven hair billowed as the wind gently played on it.

Byakuya was transfixed. He couldn't see her face since only her back faced him; but he found that he was entranced by her flowing hair. Her hair…it was so sleek, luscious…beautiful. He just wanted to run his hands through the locks, caressing it, enjoying the feeling…

He blinked. What the—what was he thinking…?

Composing his mask and feature once again, Byakuya tonelessly walked towards the sitting woman. Only few steps behind her, he heard her spoke; her voice soft and somehow tired.

"Kuchiki-taichou…good morning."

Byakuya cleared his throat inconspicuously before answered using his official tone, "…Good morning to you too, Kuroyuri-taichou."

She chuckled, though not bothering herself to turn around and face him. Somehow, the Kuchiki noble found it a bit indecorous. "Call me Kuroyuri; just Kuroyuri. I'm not wearing my haori, thus I'm not my division leader just for now."

Kuchiki's eyes narrowed as he walked some more until he reached her side. Standing still beside her sitting form, he looked down at her and felt a skip within his chest as he observed her.

Her beautiful face was serene and calm, bordering on emotionless—though bits of sadness and fatigue still laced on her pristine feature. Byakuya took in her breathtaking appearances, how the sunlight illuminating the contours of her face, accentuating her alabaster skin. Her crimson eyes gleamed in a mix of golden and crimson hues as the effect of the sunlight. Her slender and small nose; her thin and seemingly soft lips…

Somehow, he felt an urge to touch her. He ignored it, though.

"Wearing haori or not, you're still officially the 3rd division taichou. In regard to your rank, I will call you as one." He smoothly reasoned.

Kuroyuri smiled, though a bit forcefully. "…Always be the one who is perfectionist and strict about decorum, eh, Kuchiki-taichou?"

He didn't answer since he knew she must have known the obvious.

Kuroyuri let out a small scoff. Kuchiki blinked at her.

"Abarai told me about you wanting to talk about something with me yesterday."

"…Indeed. I gave a message to you via Renji. I do really want to talk with you."

"…About what?"

Her tone was dry and somehow absent of emotion. Kuchiki felt his initial nervousness back. Swallowing his sudden jittery, he replied calmly, his inner turmoil not surfacing—thankfully.

"About the incident two weeks and three days ago."

A sudden spike on her reiatsu told him that she was upset. Kuchiki glanced at her. Though her outer calmness didn't even ripple, inwardly she was agitated. He didn't know how he knew about that; he just…knew.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Kuchiki-taichou." Her voice was clipped. Kuchiki held an urge to sigh.

"…It's about the incident that happened two weeks and three days ago, between us…"

"Still don't know what you are talking about, Kuchiki-taichou." She craned her neck to look upward at him. Her crimson eyes slightly glimmered, though whether it was because of unshed tears or unleashed fury; he didn't know.

"Kuroyuri-taichou, in case you forget, that incident—"

"I thought you're the one who should have forgotten, Kuchiki-taichou—considering your…_current situation_ at that time." Her voice was sharp and bitter Byakuya inwardly cringed. Kuroyuri threw her gaze towards the sunrise. She continued bitterly. "Not me. I don't forget and I won't. I'm just pretending for not knowing about this whole _mess_."

_Mess…_ A sudden pang within his heart startled him. He should have guessed about her bitter resentment towards him and his previous, scandalous act. But still, her spitting words hurt. The two of them had, indeed—for the lack of term—_messed up_ already.

"…I just want to say I am sorry."

A sharp intake of breath made him look at her again. Kuroyuri was looking at him, frowning. Sadness and pain was now clearly reflected within her crimson pools. Byakuya inwardly flinched. He continued nonetheless.

"At that time, I made a mistake…I…forced myself to you—" he explained with difficulty. Nobles were taught not to talk about this kind of things freely. They had dignity and manner to uphold to; Byakuya was no exception.

There was a heavy silence between them; as they locked eyes at each other. Kuroyuri was the first one who broke the connection; as she looked away from him. The woman closed her eyes, sadness clouding her beautiful visage. When she eventually retorted, her voice was hushed and sounded exhausted.

"…No need to ask for apology. I was in fault too."

Kuchiki raised a brow at her.

"It was my mistake also, my fault. It was _our _mistake. Just—just don't talk about it anymore…"

"Kuroyuri-taichou, that—"

"Do not talk about it anymore. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just…forget it, alright? Forget it."

Kuchiki was silent. In his perspective, this was the problem they couldn't and shouldn't easily let go—no, it wasn't that easy. They still had to talk about it—about the consequences, about the later responsibility, about…_everything_.

Still, remembering his promise to Unohana—that he shouldn't push over the matter with Kuroyuri at the time, considering her recovering state—Byakuya eventually let the matter drop. Sighing inconspicuously, he remarked.

"…Fine. But I wish we could talk about the problem more thoroughly later—when you're in better condition and sober enough to—"

Kuroyuri stood up _very_ fast she swayed a bit. Worried that she would accidentally fling herself from the slippery cliff, Byakuya took a hold on her arm—and was shocked beyond belief as she wrenched her arm away from his hold.

"Don't touch me!" she bellowed indignantly. The woman glared at him, her crimson eyes reflecting pain and disbelief.

"And do not talk to me as if you're the only one who is sober and level-headed enough to talk about this particular matter! You were clearly _not sober_ that night! How could you call me as 'not sober enough' now? How—how could you—?" she shook her head in disbelief and turned away from him, readying to set on shunpo. Byakuya, however, grabbed a hold on her wrist.

"Kuroyuri-taichou, wait! I am sorry—"

But, again, she wrenched her wrist away from his hold with such force Byakuya was stunned at. She staggered away from him, glaring all the way. Single tear had made its way downward her pale cheek. Alarmed, Byakuya stepped forward only to be stopped by her harsh reprimand.

"_Don't!_ Do not _ever_ touch me again, Kuchiki! Do not _ever_ approach me again, aside for work! Do not talk to me _ever, ever again—_!" she halted, panting. Another tear made way; and then another and another…soon, she was crying over. Kuroyuri didn't even notice Byakuya's mask fell out, revealing his shocked feature.

"…Kuroyuri…"

"St—stop it…I—I don't want to talk to you…I don't want to see you again, Kuchiki Byakuya."

With those words, Kuroyuri set on shunpo and zapped away from the site, still sobbing her heart out.

Soukyoku Hill was devoid of any presence but one. Kuchiki Byakuya, still like a statue, silently regretted his ineptitude.

Cursing over his failure again and again, the noble eventually dragged his feet towards his division; somehow dreading about his entire day.

###

* * *

Please R&R. Thank you very much. See you next time.


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